Barcelona maintained their hold on second place in La Liga on Tuesday with a 3-1 win over Celta Vigo at home. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored twice.
However, Barca’s victory was overshadowed by defender Ronald Araujo’s serious head injury, which required him to be rushed away in an ambulance in the 64th minute of the game.
Araujo was stretchered into the ambulance and was wearing a neck brace. The 23-year-old “suffered a concussion and was taken to the hospital for further testing,” according to Barcelona.
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“The doctor has told us he is conscious,” Barca coach Xavi Hernandez stated after the game. He will be admitted to the hospital for the night, but he is not in any danger.
“The doctor told us not to worry; he’ll just spend the night in the hospital as a precaution.”
Araujo was injured when he and Gavi collided while battling for the same ball. As a concerned Iago Aspas and Eric Garcia phoned for the medics, Araujo stumbled on for a few seconds before collapsing.
The Uruguayan was placed in the recovery position and carried into an ambulance that had driven onto the pitch after a few minutes.
After Memphis Depay had started the scoring at Camp Nou, Aubameyang scored twice either side of halftime. Celta got one back through Aspas, but any thoughts of a comeback were shattered just before the hour when Jeison Murillo was sent off.
“We were effective,” Xavi observed, “but we didn’t play well.” “It was easier with ten men, but we struggled with eleven.”
Barca now leads Sevilla by seven points and Atletico Madrid by eight points, with the two teams meeting at the Wanda Metropolitano on Sunday.
Real Madrid, who have already been crowned champions, lead Xavi Hernandez’s team by nine points at the top of the table, with a game in hand.
Although Xavi’s primary goal of qualifying for next season’s Champions League was achieved last weekend, the club’s severe financial situation means the players can no longer afford to relax.
Every point gained in La Liga is worth roughly seven million euros, and qualifying for the four-team Spanish Super Cup by finishing in the top two earns the Catalans an additional eight million euros.
– Electric Aubameyang –
They should have clinched second place with another win, thanks in large part to Aubameyang, who scored his 12th and 13th goals after joining Barcelona from Arsenal in January.
Although Aubameyang’s blistering early form has cooled in recent weeks, it is difficult to imagine a Barcelona player who has contributed more to the club’s recovery in the second half of the season.
Depay’s game-time has suffered as a result of Aubameyang’s brilliance but they both started against Celta and it was Depay who gave the hosts the lead in the 30th minute, scooping in following s wonderful run down the right by Ousmane Dembele.
Depay then turned provider for Aubameyang’s first as he latched onto Jordi Alba’s through ball and crossed for his Gabonese teammate to finish on the turn four minutes before half-time.
Three minutes after the restart, it was three as Dembele repeated his earlier trick, driving down the right, rolling left, this time for the sprinting Aubameyang to steer into the corner.
Aspas capitalised on a Barcelona error as Araujo was caught on his heels after Marc-Andre ter Stegen passed out to him in the penalty area. But eight minutes later, Murillo was sent off for preventing Depay from going through and Celta’s momentum was gone.
Real Betis had earlier kept their top-four hopes alive by easing to a 3-0 win away at Valencia. Willian Jose, Sergio Canales and Borja Iglesias all scored goals in the second half.
Betis closed the gap to Atletico Madrid in fourth to three points, with Atletico playing a game in hand away at Elche on Wednesday.